


And then there was beard...

by cdrlizziebean



Series: Cdrlizziebean's Baby Shenko Collection [7]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-18
Updated: 2014-07-18
Packaged: 2018-02-09 11:04:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1980522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cdrlizziebean/pseuds/cdrlizziebean





	And then there was beard...

Kaidan sighed, rubbing the new found scruff across his jawline. He never thought a month would be so long. Kaidan had reluctantly agreed to do some business for the Council. It was either him or Shepard and after watching her fall asleep with their baby, Ashley, curled up in her arms, he decided he couldn’t let her go. A month was definitely a long time. It even felt longer than the two years he thought Shepard dead. Maybe because they were there waiting…for him.

He stepped onto the front porch, pressed his left palm onto the familiar door frame, and knocked gently with his right hand. It was late. He knew that. He shifted his duffle bag farther up his arm and straightened the collar of his jacket, trying to stay warm in the cool winter air. Listening for footsteps, he took a deep breath.

They came softly but quickly. Kaidan could hear them stumble from the plush carpet of the living room to the wood of the entry way, then silence. He waited but the door never budged.

He knocked again, his fist a little lower on the door. A sharp gasp then giggle followed in the silence. Dropping his duffle bag to the ground, he grinned. His hand moved to the door once again, this time the knock was echoed by a little fist on the other side.

Maybe it isn’t that late, he mused, pressing his ear against the door. He could hear little Ashley’s shifting feet and shushed giggles as Shepard crossed over to the door.

“You’re supposed to be in bed,” she hissed, unlocking the door. Kaidan stood, chuckling.

“Noooo,” Ashley whispered loudly before cackling at the opening door. Shepard stood before him in a cotton night shirt and pink satin shorts, eyes delirious from sleep and hair disheveled. Ashley looked a little more awake; her eyes as bright as the ducks on her footsy pajamas and her red hair just as wild.

But as Shepard greeted the late night visitor, her face lit up. The bags under her eyes were offset by the tug of her smile. She reached for him, warm arms sliding into the collar of his jacket and skimming the edge of his shirt. He shuddered under her touch. She tingled and smelt of sandalwood, baby powder, and faintly of his cologne. He wrapped his arms around Shepard, twisting up her night shirt to reveal her stomach to the cold.

He pulled away just enough to leave a line of scruffy kisses from her chapped lips to the flesh of her earlobe, promising more.

“You took your damned time,” she breathed against his ear. He snorted, his arms slipping down her waist. Shepard untangled her arms from his neck, and then promptly crossed them over her chilled body. “What’s with the face?” she snapped, back to her old self. “Were you in a beard growing contest with Joker?”

He grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wouldn’t even dare try,” he responded. Ashley staggered over to him, stepping onto the cold porch. She tugged on his pant leg with a furious grunt. He knelt down, arms extended. “How’s my button?” he cooed. She frowned.

“Looks like she isn’t a fan of the beard either,” Shepard laughed, leaning against the door frame.

Ashley wrinkled her nose at her father; her eyebrows clashing in frustration. Kaidan smiled. “It’s me button.” She shook her head sharply, eyes narrowing.

She removed her twisting fingers from the pant leg of her ducky pajamas and, hesitantly, reached out to touch the scruffy black mess that covered her father’s face. Her little fingers curled in the strands and she forcefully tugged, pulling her father’s face closer to hers.

“Ouch,” he shouted. Ashley cackled, green eyes shining.

“Pirate face! Papa, pirate face!” she exclaimed. Kaidan sighed, wrapping his arms around his toddler and lifting her. She never let go of his scruff but continued to tug at varying intensities.

“After we put you to bed, I’ll shave it off,” he muttered.

Shepard moved over to them, settling her head on his shoulder. “Mmm, maybe shaving it off won’t be your first priority,” she teased. Kaidan raised his eyebrow. She moved around him to grab Ashley who reluctantly fell back into her mother’s arms.

“I thought you didn’t like it,” he mused.

“Well, you could attempt to convince me otherwise?” she cooed with a wink. Shepard turned back into the house, swishing her hips deliberately.

Kaidan shook his head, grinning. He grabbed his duffle bag. He had a lot to catch up on. He was gone for a month after all.


End file.
